In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful

[Arabic Ode by the Promised Messiah]

My knowledge is from the Gracious [God]—Possessor of all bounties—Through Allah alone have I attained grace, not through my own erudition.

How can one reach the stages of gratefulness? We laud Him yet we lack the ability to properly laud Him.

Allah is our Protector and Guarantor of our command, Both in this world and in the world of Hereafter.

Were it not for His favour when I sought Him, The floods of my tears would have well-nigh obliterated me.

Glad tidings for us; we have found the Sympathetic Friend: The Merciful Lord, the Remover of all sorrows.

I have been gifted the essence of cognition from my Beloved. I have been made to descend by my Beloved upon the abode of light.

We pursue the light of truth as soon as it appears; We are not the buyers of darkness when the moon has risen.

My soul is distanced from every darkness; I have seated my sturdy she-camel beside Him who enlightens me.

Love for His countenance overwhelmed my soul So that I cast away my inner self [ from interfering]

When I realized that my inner self was an impediment [in the path] to my spirit, I threw it away, like a corpse, in a wasteland.

Allah alone is the Shelter of the earth and the heavens; He is the Merciful Lord, the Haven of retreat for everything.

He is Beneficent, Compassionate, and a Refuge for the afflicted; Merciful, Kind, and Bountiful.

He is One, Eternal, and Self-Existent; He takes neither son nor partner.

Uniqueness belongs to Him alone in all praiseworthy attributes, And to Him belongs loftiness exceeding every height.

The intellectuals see Him through the universe; The enlightened see all things through Him.

He alone is truly Worthy of worship for all creation; He is Unique, Incomparable, and the Source of all light.

He alone is the Beloved whom I have preferred over all else; He is the Lord of all creation, the Source of guidance, and my Master.

The cloud of His love rose swiftly [ from my heart], Hastening towards Him as if riding the north wind.

We beseech Him in utter humility during times of distress; We remain pleased with Him in times of ease and of hardship.

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I have been swept up by the whirlwind of His love, So my heart is enamoured by the onslaught of that whirlwind.

He granted me so much that no wish remained thereafter. The favours of His grace go beyond my highest hopes.

Through my Lord’s bounty was I immersed In [His] light, after all my selfish desires were shattered.

Verily, my spirit is inebriated with the wine of His love; I witness His love illuminating every particle of my being.

I drank chalices of death that I might find guidance; Thus, after this death, I discovered the fountain of eternal life.

I am melting in love and its fire. Thus do I behold flowing tears from my melting away.

The intensity of love causes my tears to flow like floods; My heart roasts [with passion] by the very thought of meeting Him.

I behold His love enlightening the deepest recesses of my inner self; I observe the love manifested upon my face.

People seek pleasure in carnal desires, But I find it in burning and anguish [ for His pleasure].

Allah is the objective of my soul, and Him alone do I seek With every drop of the pen’s ink and the writing therewith.

O mankind! Drink from my waterskin, For my waterskin is laden with the light of the Truly Beneficent Lord.

Some people have followed me with sincerity, While others were haughty due to the veils [covering their souls].

They became jealous and, in their jealousy, vituperated me. This is how the mean have always treated every recipient of bounties.

Everyone who rejects the evident truth Is a dog being chased by a pack of hounds.

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They pained me, abusedme, and[accusedme] saying, ‘He is adisbeliever.’ This day shall we pay back their debt with interest.

God is my Witness, by His grace we are Muslims, But ignorance has leapt upon the so-called divines.

We follow the traditions and commandments of the [Holy] Prophet; We follow the Book of Allah; and do not follow other opinions.

Surely, in the path of the Faith, we are absolved Of all heretics who are the enemies of wisdom.

Verily, we follow Muhammad(sa)—the Best of Creation—Who is the light of God the Protector, and the dispeller of darkness.

Do we exceed even the Christians in disbelief? Woe upon you and these beliefs [of yours]!

O shaikh of the wretched soil of Batala! You call me a disbeliever out of sheer malice and spite.

You have tormented me; so fear the consequences, For a fire once stirred up is sure to spread.

Perished be both your hands, for you pursued every mischief. Indeed! Your feet have slipped in every way.

You squandered your youth while calamities have brought you close to a decrepit old man; Wherefore it is a time for humility, not arrogance and coquetry.

You wish destruction and calamities for me out of your evil desire, Whereas the stone of every hardship falls upon you.

I am from the Lord, so how can I be destroyed? Fear God, the Jealous of His honour, and do not kill yourself through [your own] injustice.

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Would you strike a stone with [a shard of ] glass? Do not commit suicide, but seek the path of life.

Discard the way of mischief and evil; Be easy upon yourself and do not belabour yourself to death.

O extremist, repent! The hour is coming When you will bite your paralyzed right hand.

Would that no mother had given birth to the likes of you—A bat of darkness; an enemy of light.

You strive for the authorities to incarcerate me as a criminal; Woe to all those who deceive and slander!

Were I offered the kingdom itself I would have shunned it; Why would I have any desire for this world of yours? My humble garment suffices for me.

I have died a death of which my enemies know nothing; My coffin lies [hidden] far from [the eyes of ] the living.

With your falsehood and slander you try to incite the rulers To view me with suspicion like the ignorant.

O ye who are blind! Do you deny the All-Powerful God, Who protects His dear ones and bestows them shelter?

Have you forgotten how the All-Powerful helped His Kalim3 [Moses]? Have you not heard of the final triumph of the Sun of the cave Hira’ [the Holy Prophet(sa)]?

You will never be able to look upon the sky with its verdict, For your sightless eye lies buried beneath the earth.

You have been made arrogant by certain words for lack of insight. The truth of the tidings of the unseen remains hidden from you.

You have cast your cohorts into a pit of misguidance; Is this the way of the righteous?!

You have transgressed the limits of righteousness by denouncing me as a disbeliever. Have you torn open my heart or seen what lies within me?

Do your utmost in all that you plan in your evil way; For God is Sufficient as a refuge for His servant.

My Signs will come to you and you will recognize their truth, Be patient and deviate not from the path of modesty.

I have written books likened to miracles; See if you possess water that rains like mine.

O ye who oppose me! If you possess the ability that I have [been blessed with], Then sit face-to-face with me and write as I do.

You baulked at being labelled ignorant, So why do you now stall like a stammering woman?

You babbled to the fools that my book Is distasteful, the hearing of which triggers vomiting.

May I ask what your contribution as a writer is, After which my books should appear to you as vomit?

You claimed to be brave and an avid scholar; In your arrogance, you referred to me as your prey.

Today you flee from me like a rabbit, For fear of being humiliated and exposed.

Reflect! Is this fear not a Sign from God Almighty; An awe inspired by the Gracious God to make you understand?

How can there be a contest whilst you flee in fear? Heed the humiliation you suffer because of your arrogance!

The Supreme Being loves not haughtiness In His humble creation—those mortal worms.

You have been reduced to dust by the arrow which suddenly pierced you, And lie like the dead in the wasteland.

Where have you fled, O braggart? You used to consider me among the ignorant!

O ye who kindled the commotion! Arise to face me! I consider you nothing more than a storm of dust.

My speech is like a garden of a valley refreshed twice by the rain, And my speech is like a date palm planted in the fertile land.

You have been reduced to pieces not by a club, But by swords that were swift like raging waves.

If you envy me then [remember that] I am a brave man, Who causes the hearts of the envious wrongdoer to burn.

You denounced me as a liar, denigrated me a disbeliever, and deemed me worthless; Indeed, you intended that I be pulverized into pieces like dust.

This has been your age-old intent out of greed, But God—the Destroyer of my enemies—is my Refuge.

I would be the worst of mankind If help from the Gracious does not grant me triumph.

You are unable to enforce anything, because verily, The Lord God is the Almighty and the Protector of the weak.

Arrogance has cast you deeper into the depths of Hell. Surely, arrogance is the worst of all traits.

Fear the wrath of the Lord of Glory; How long will you persist in the pursuit of desires, leaping like a gazelle?

You wish to see me perish but God the Protector protects me; Quarrelling with me, you have invoked the displeasure of the Almighty Lord.

God’s beloved is not destroyed by any trial, But reward is ordained for every calamity he suffers.

One who fears his Lord, the Protector, is never ruined; Surely, the Protector is the Seeker of those who seek Him.

Does the world seek the humiliation of the truthful? That shall never be! Such is the mere fancy of fools!

Verily, the end of the contest is always in favour of the righteous, Although the initial attack belongs to the aggressors.

O my enemy! The testimony corroborating this claim is the sunnah [practice] of our Lord Applicable to [all] the Prophets and the group of the righteous.

O ye jealous of me! Die in the flames of [your] fire and rage, For I shall surely die with everlasting honour.

Surely, I seek all honour from my Lord; all honour whatsoever is bestowed by our Lord; And mankind comes to me searching for light.

People will curse when uttering your name, But I will be honoured with virtues even after my death.

Do you want to demolish the mansion belonging to our Lord? Do you want to burn down what was built by my Builder [God Almighty]?

Those who wish me ill, wish me bereft of all good fortune; Whereas I—on the contrary—rejoice in numerous bounties.

Do not deem my work dubious, For you are in receipt of Signs as resplendent as the sun!

The righteous eagerly hasten to me After smelling the fragrance of musk [emanating] from me.

They fly to me out of love and desire, Like a bird seeking shade upon a vast tree.

Our country has gifted me its most gifted [lit. the pieces of its heart], Now only a mere remnant of the learned remains behind,

Or there remain some men of God whose circumstances are not yet known; They will join me later as witnesses testifying to my truth.

The Signs of guidance have been manifested by the Gracious God, Prompting multitudes of the enlightened to prostrate [glorifying Him].

But the unfortunate deny this out of their misfortune; They fail to attain guidance from this light.

Like our dogs they feast upon carrion, Craving [the carcass] like vultures in the desert.

They try to frighten me, although men of valour Do not fear the vicissitudes of time and its battles.

When I looked upon the extreme beneficence of my Ever-Watchful God, The trouble was dispelled and I did not feel any of my troubles.

A believer like me never suffers failure; But, my enemy was frustrated as he sought to declare me a disbeliever.

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The ignorant one exposes his canine teeth in rage; Look at this dumb animal!

He has displeased his Lord God in order to please others, Whereas pleasing God is far more deserving and proper.

I shattered the vessels of their knowledge like glass; Thus were they blown away like dust.

They denounced as a disbeliever the one who says, ‘I am a Muslim’, Because of the statements and clamour of the son of Batala [Sheikh Muhammad Husain of Batala].

I do not find the fear of the Supreme Being in their hearts; Rather, their springs of rebellion and denial have gushed forth.

I had hoped that they would fear Him, But at this time they are inclined towards carnal desires.

All of them have cast off the robes of righteousness; Nothing remains [upon them] except the garment of deceit.

Is anyone left among them who is pious and God-fearing, Or one who is virtuous and fears the Day of Retribution?

I swear by God that I do not find anyone who is God-fearing and righteous Among the group that has arisen to tear down my edifice.

I find nothing except turbans and beards, Or noses that have become crooked on account of arrogance.

It matters not if they reject my word in their arrogance; Before long my voice shall impact others.

Be not surprised at their edicts [against me], One worthless follows another worthless in the dust of his blindness.

Satan, the accursed, has become their beloved, He comes to meet them in the mornings and evenings.

The hearts of ill-wishers are blinded by their mischief; Their garb of ostentation exposes their inner state.

They persecuted me. But in the paths of Allah the Protector; I find nothing more delightful for me than this pain.

For me there is nothing new in this baggage; For, I am used to—and fond of—this journey and its baggage.

My soul is like a she-camel whose back has become lean With the injustice and cruelty inflicted by her people.

These are my principles! I swear by the Lord of the truthful, I pick the best fruit from the date-palm of divine bounties.

The mean deride me but this derision results only In the elevation of my spiritual station.

The mean-natured glare at me intensely with the piercing eyes of a fox, And they torment me with [their] barking and hissing.

God is my Witness—their way is not the way of guidance; Rather, it is a vain desire prompted by greed.

I avoided their hallucinations by giving them a deaf ear, For I realized that evil intent lies behind their argumentation.

I confronted the hardship kindled by my enemies with patience; However, ignoring them provoked them to be haughty like smoke.

They no longer have piety and abstinence; Nor is there the least trace of the tough life of self-discipline.

Out of greed and aggrandizement they inclined towards this baser world, And fled from a life of poverty and afflictions.

The meanest of miscreants attacked me, As if they were dung used for heating.

When—in reply to their exaggerations—I wrote books, Full of eloquence, delight, and clarity,

They said, ‘We have read these books; they are not anything outstanding. They comprise only the sayings of an Arab littérateur!

An Arab hides in the home [of Ahmad(as)]; Day and night he composes these writings.’

Note their statements and the contradictions therein! Their stubborn opposition to me has deprived them of sound judgment.

At times they ascribe my writing to an Arab while, at other times, They say the writing is faulty in composition.

O troop of adversaries! This is indeed a gift from the Gracious God; Neither the work of a Syrian nor the work of any of my companions.

God the Protector has exalted our spiritual station and knowledge; We are building our mansions atop [the constellation of ] Gemini.

Forgo your claim to be a Maulawi, And go hide in the darkness of a deep well.

My genius has been sharpened like a sharp sword; I have been given to understand whatmyenemiesdonotunderstand.

This book of mine combines every type of literary eloquence; It amazes the intellects with its brilliance and beauty.

Allah has granted me gardens of His knowledge; Were it not for His bounty, I would have been like the fools.

I prayed to Allah, my Beneficent Lord; So I witnessed fountains of knowledge after my supplication.

Verily, God the Protector does not honour pride; Therefore, if you seek honour, be as humble as the dust.

By Allah, you are delinquent in my case, out of self-aggrandizement; You have rejected me like the hasty and the mistaken.

An unbiased person never rushes, Nay, he tries to make heartfelt deliberation and lift the veils.

Out of their love and regard for their children and family, Noble people fear the prayers of those who work miracles.

My prayer is an arrow that strikes its target like lightning. So beware! Beware of approaching me [with hostility]!

God is my Witness—I have no ambition to be an Imam; This thinking of yours is mistaken.

Without doubt, I seek God alone; He is the comfort of my soul; I do not seek leadership, political power, or dominance.

I put my trust in my Creator, The abundantly Gracious, the Bestower of bounties.

He who devotes himself to God attains honour; He is ever blessed with magnificence and bounties.

Enemies torment me with their filthy behaviour; By levelling false charges, they hurt the heart of an innocent one.

They seek to frighten me with their shrieks, but I consider them Among the dead, not among the living.

After bonding with the Bestower of Courage, How can one fear such cries and uproar?

Those who are vile strive to extinguish my light, But the sun can never be concealed by covering it.

Indeed, God the Protector had perfected His grace Upon me as His bounty, so I became one of the benefactors.

I offer a wealth of spiritual knowledge to alleviate the poverty of mankind, And my favours upon the needy are countless indeed!

Should you desire to partake of these, my land is not too distant From your land, which is a cursed and rugged land.

The time of [God’s] reckoning will be harsh upon you Should you die—O enemy of mine!—full of hatred for me.

I did not come without need or without purpose; I appeared as a rain during the scorching heat.

A fountain has gushed forth for those restless with thirst; For those in dire need of water, a spring of fresh water has issued forth.

I am—by the grace of the Supreme—true [in my claim], I have come at the time of need, and during the midst of an epidemic.

Even then the mean reject me on account of their evil natures; They do not accept my gifts and my favour.

The words of the mean are like sharpened spears, And their chests are like the hard, stony terrain.

He who fights the truthful fights his Lord God; And His Prophet and multitudes of the righteous.

God is my witness—I do not know the source of their enmity, Except that their miserliness has gushed forth like water.

I never imagined that—merely to oppose me—they would Put aside even the command of the illustrious Shariah.

I opposed them for God’s sake when they began to play With the Faith and, exceeding the limits, even began to attack it.

I have been nourished on the blessed milk and spring of the Holy Prophet[sa], And have been enlightened by the Sun that rose from Hira’.

The sun is the mother and the crescent moon is its son, Who feeds on the light of the sun.

I have arisen like the full moon; therefore, take a look, Forthere is no goodness in those who are like the weak-eyed effeminate.

O my Lord! Help me through Your grace and avenge me for The one who casts away the truth as if it were dust.

O my Lord! My people on account of their ignorance have strayed into darkness; Show mercy and lead them to the abode of light.

O ye who curse me! The righteous eventually emerge victorious, So reflect over the ultimate outcome as the wise do.

God has, in His mercy, supported me and become my Friend; He has helped me with His favours and bounties.

I have come out of the pit of darkness and misfortune, And I have entered the abode of guidance and advice.

I swear by God, all humans amount to nothing, Except the one whom God has favoured with meeting Him.

Surely, towards him whose heart has been filled to the brim by Allah the Supreme, Hosts of people throng like the thirsty.

The Lord of the Heavens grants him honour through His bounty; And the wise are inspired to [humbly] bow down before him.

The earth is made to serve him like a slave And the heavens present themselves to him like servants.

Who can disgrace the one who is dear in His presence? The earth cannot destroy the suns of heaven.

All of creation is but a worm except the one whom The grace of Allah purifies of selfish desires.

Arise, therefore, to support him should you realize his lofty stature, And march forward, sacrificing your self and vying with others.

If you seek his humiliation, you yourself will be humiliated, And on the Day of Judgment you will be driven away like a dog.

You have fallen prey to misfortune, therefore, you deride the one Who is honoured in the sight of Allah!

Our lamp and our light are unbearable to you; You walk about as thieves in the dark of night.

You utter nonsense and [I swear] by Allah you will have no excuse On the Day of Resurrection and the time of Retribution.

This is lightning from the Master and I will show you its flash; So be patient like the wise who reflect.

I witness the upheaval of your anger like deep and turbulent waters, Like the wave of the seas or the tempestuous wind.

I swear by God that from among my brave warriors, Just one brave youth shall suffice for all the enemies.

I exercise patience during times of affliction, Likewise do I endure in times of hardship and opulence.

With your coming came the mischief of this age, For floods [of tribulation] deliver naught but waste and debris.

I dislike meeting you even though, The visit of a wild wolf to my home does not perturb me.

Today I advise you, but how can a people benefit from my advice Who squander their religion out of malice?

I invite them to come forward and compete, But they lay low quite like deer who hide in the wilderness.

They do not use their sight nor do they see the truth of the matter; They perish in their niggardliness and [hypocritical] ostentation.

Is there any insightful one in their assembly Who might scrutinize me like a diligent researcher?

Without challenging me, they declared me ignorant—Behold their torture and iniquity!

Boasts of bravery find vindication only in battle, The cutting edge of a sword shines only in war.

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The resident of Batala is good for nothing; His enmity for me rolls like thunderbolt from the clouds.

On account of his innate fear, he stays away from the fray; He talks nonsense then hides like a woman behind a veil.

He opted for the world and the carrion of its desert, Indeed, death is better than a life in hiding [out of cowardice].

O ye, the prey of my [spiritual] sword! How long will you continue leaping? Your characteristic of a fawn will not save you.

You have polluted Batala, an accursed part of the earth, A land abounding with chameleons.

Like a hunter, I want you in the contest; Therefore, let no one be inclined to give you refuge.

The point of my spear will pierce through your chest; My strong and flexible spears will show you rivers of blood.

Due to the fear of my words, your soul has well-nigh departed from your body; So what will be your plight when you face me to debate?

I have been granted linguistic elegance that serves like the she-camel with abundant milk; And its young calf is the beautiful impact that it makes.

You are at full liberty to resort to every deception in your state of envy; The full moon is not darkened by the barking of dogs.

You declared a truthful one to be a liar, and have wronged wilfully; If he strikes back, he would show you the nether regions of the earth.

My nose has never even smelled humiliation in any battle; I have raised dust clouds of death among my enemies.

God is my witness that out of your own ill fortune you have committed the grave mistake Of engaging in battle with an expert warrior who can mount a sudden attack.

Because of your malevolence, I am daily vouchsafed a loftier station, And I prosper despite your malice and spite.

I have reached the Pleiades and its loftiness, So that I may bring faith back to the earth.

Look at all of this tribulation whose fires cause tears—Nay rather, springs of blood—to gush forth.

Thus has the Gracious God raised me even as this smoke rises, For the deliverance of those journeying through this night.

When the cries of the sick demanded my advent, I appeared carrying the elixir-filled chalice.

When I came to the people, they abused me like enemies; In their refusal they chose the path of ill fortune.

They said, ‘He is a liar, pretender, manifestation of falsehood; Indeed, he is a disbeliever, hypocrite, and dissembler.’

Who will convey the news of my humiliation and distress To my master, the Seal of the Messengers, the Ocean of Beneficence?

O ye [the Holy Prophet(sa)] bearing holy morals and holy names! Would you keep us away from your bounties?

You are the very one whose love penetrates the depth of my heart; You are the very soul of my body.

You are the very one to whom my heart is attracted; You are the very one who stood up for my consolation.

You are the very one due to whose love and friendship, I have been granted succour with revelation and discourse.

You are the one who brought the Shariah and guidance, And liberated the necks of the people from their burdens.

How can we ever run from you like mischief-mongers? It is not possible; My soul is sacrificed for you because of my agony and fidelity for you.

I believe in the Holy Quran, the Book of our Lord, And in all that you informed us of the tidings of the unseen.

O my master! O refuge of the weak! We have come to you after suffering at the hands of the ignorant.

Love is never wasted; it is granted its due price. O gracious Sun! We are in love with you.

O our Sun! Cast the glance of love and mercy; All creation is hastening towards you for refuge.

You are the one from whom every good springs forth; The hearts of the pure-hearted incline to you.

You are the one who is the source of light; You have illuminated the cities and deserts.

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I find in your blessed countenance Such glory as surpasses the glory of the sun.

The sun of guidance rose from Makkah upon us, And from the cave of Hira’ gushed forth a fountain of generosity.

Even the light of the sun only partially resembles that of his, When I beheld him my heartfelt cries reached a crescendo.

Like the brave young men, we strive for the religion of Muhammad; We are not like the one who is bereft of limbs.

The Ever-Watchful God has raised the standard of our commitment to His religion; We make the lofty Gemini as our stopping place.

We are made like swords, so we crush The heads of the ignoble and the skulls of the enemies.

Out of the ignoble, I see one lowly transgressor Who is accursed and a seed of the ignorant.

He is rude, a mischief-monger, and a liar; He is accursed, but among the ignorant, he is known as Sa‘d [i.e. fortunate].

He has not given up disbelief—his heritage indeed; He resembles his parents in blindness.

He was a seed of the Hindus—a grain of their crop—Like his forefathers, he too was an idol-worshipper.

His wretchedness had overtaken him; It was this hard-heartedness that was responsible for the death of his blind mother.

I find him to be a denier and issuer of false edicts of disbelief; A despiser using abuses and baseless accusations.

He pains me, but I do not complain nor am I sorry; He is akin to a dog—eager to bark.

Enmity has put the kohl of dust in his eyes; So who can save him from getting the straw in the eye?

O ye who curses me! The Ever-Watchful God is observing; Therefore, fear the wrath of my Lord, who is Omnipotent and my Protector.

Truth cannot be consumed by the fire of deceit; How can a bat do any harm to the sun?

I find that in your pride you walk with haughty steps; Have you forgotten the day when a deep wound will inflict you?

Do not succumb to the desires of flesh on account of your wickedness, For love of the self will only throw you into the well.

The self is an evil horse; therefore, do not ride it. Be fearful! Lest its errant steps throw you off.

Without doubt, poison is the worst of what exists in this world, And hostility to the righteous is a form of poison.

Because of your filthy nature you have caused me pain. I am not truthful if you do not die in disgrace. O progeny of the wicked!7

God will humiliate your party and will surely honour me; So much so that all of the people will come under my flag.

O our Lord! Decide between us with Your grace. O the One who sees my heart and the deepest recesses of my being!

O the One whose doors I always find open for those who beseech! Do not reject my supplication.

[Amin—May it be so, O Allah.]